Csonka’s NJPW World Tag League 2019 (Day 4) Review

Csonka’s NJPW World Tag League 2019 (Day 4) Review

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Hirooki Goto and Karl Fredericks defeated Satoshi Kojima and Hiroyoshi Tenzan @ 11:40 via pin [***]
– Hiroshi Tanahashi and Toa Henare defeated Manabu Nakanishi and Yuji Nagata @ 10:50 via pin [**]
– Juice Robinson and David Finlay defeated Tomoaki Honma and Togi Makabe @ 11:10 via pin [**½]
– Shingo Takagi and Terrible defeated Bad Luck Fale and Chase Owens @ 9:42 via pin [**]
– Colt Cabana and Toru Yano defeated Tomohiro Ishii and YOSHI-HASHI @ 10:20 via pin [***]
– Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa defeated Zack Sabre Jr. and Taichi @ 12:00 via pin [**¼]
– EVIL and SANADA defeated Jeff Cobb and Mikey Nicholls @ 13:15 via pin [***½]

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3.15Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Hirooki Goto & Karl Fredericks: The veteran team took control early on, isolating Fredericks, working double teams and keeping Goto on the floor. Fredericks battled back after a few minutes and finally got the tag to Goto, who worked the heat on Kojima. Fredericks took over for a bit until Kojima cut him off and tagged in Tenzan. He played the hits with Mongolian chops, corner suplex, and head butts until Fredericks hit his great dropkick. Goto tagged in, ran wild and picked up near falls until the dads cut him off, leading to Kojima’s machinegun chops, running forearm and elbow drop for a near fall. It broke down, Goto & Fredericks double teamed Kojima until the dads cut off Fredericks and the Kojima brainbuster scored a near fall. Goto then accidentally lariated Fredericks, but the ushigoroshi and double team GTR finished it. Hirooki Goto and Karl Fredericks defeated Satoshi Kojima and Hiroyoshi Tenzan @ 11:40 via pin [***] This was good as Tenzan was limited, Kojima is still delivering, Goto is good and Fredericks continues to step up and make the most of this opportunity.

Hiroshi Tanahashi & Toa Henare vs. Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi: We got some Nagata vs. Tanahashi to begin things, as Tanahashi took early control. It didn’t last long as Nakanishi and Henare tagged in for power spots and a striking battle. Nakanishi was moving at a glacial pace here as it felt as if time stood still. Tanahashi joined in for double teams but Nakanishi suplexed both opponents. The dads double teamed Henare and took the heat. With thankfully Nagata back in. he dominated with strikes and kicks until Henare hit a suplex and tagged in Tanahashi. The Ace played the hits with the senton until Nagata hit an XPLODER. Nakanishi slowed things down as he strolled mildly, and Tanahashi running around to try and make it look like Nakanishi was moving. The dads danced and attacked, picking up near falls and then stereo submissions. Henare scored with rampage, they double teamed Nakanishi with the high/low sling blade and dumped Nagata. The high fly flow finished it. Hiroshi Tanahashi and Toa Henare defeated Manabu Nakanishi and Yuji Nagata @ 10:50 via pin [**] This was ok, Tanahashi & Henare are a fun team, but Nakanishi is so painfully slow and looks wiped out just four days into the tournament.

Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Juice Robinson & David Finlay: Juice took early control, mocking Makabe until Makabe cut him of and tagged in Honma for double teams. Honma of course missed an early kokeshi allowing Fin-Juice to take control with quick tags and double teams for a near fall. Finlay isolated Honma, grounding things as Honma missed another kokeshi. He’d finally cut him off as Makabe worked over both with clotheslines. Juice cut him off with jabs until Makabe hit a lariat. Honma then took control and actually hit kokeshis on both. The lariat then connected for 2 on Juice. Finlay then took out Makabe and they followed with double teams on Honma until Makabe made the save with lariats. GBH followed with double teams until Finlay made the save. Honma missed a second rope kokeshi, Fin-Juice followed with double teams as Finlay took Makabe to the floor. Juice picked up a near fall off of a jackhammer, Honma fought back one last time until the stunner & pulp friction finished him Juice Robinson and David Finlay defeated Tomoaki Honma and Togi Makabe @ 11:10 via pin [**½] This was asolid match, and you have to respect the hell out of Makabe for continuing to find ways not to bump in these matches. Honma continues to struggle, Fin-Juice is fin, but there just wasn’t much to this.

Shingo Takagi & El Terrible vs. Chase Owens & Bad Luck Fale: Bullet Club attacked before the bell but Shingo quickly fired back and dumped Fale. Terrible tagged n as they double teamed Owens, and took control of things until Fale pulled Terrible to he floor for some customary floor brawling. They isolated Terrible, working quick tags and double teams to isolate him. Fale tagged in to slow things down to a crawl, but missed the world’s slowest elbow drop as Shingo tagged in and ran wild with clotheslines. LIJ followed with double teams until Fale cut them off. Owens then got some shine working a stretch with Terrible until Terrible fucked his day up with a flurry of strikes. LIJ followed with double teams until Fale made the save and dumped Terrible. Terrible eventually made the save, they dumped Fale and Shingo and Owens worked a fun back and forth stretch until made in Japan finished it. Shingo Takagi and Terrible defeated Bad Luck Fale and Chase Owens @ 9:42 via pin [**] This was another ok but flat match with Fale just dragging things down with either minimal effort or just complete suckitude, you be the judge. Shingo & Owens’ interactions were really fun though.

Big Tom Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Toru Yano & Colt Cabana: Colt and HASHI work a solid opening stretch as Yano joins in for double teams. Yano keeps yelling directions to Colt, who keeps saying that he doesn’t understand. ChAOS makes the comeback as Ishii pummels poor Colt for a while. Colt eventfully works into counters, tags in Yano and it’s buckle time. Yano does Yano things, the crowd loves him but he’s cut off. Ishii then starts to fuck him day up with chops and strikes until Yano cuts him off and tags in Colt. HASHI tags in, taking control with the usual hitting the blockbuster, & draping dropkick. Colt & Yano work double teams on HASHI, Colt hits a flying asshole until Ishii makes the save and it breaks down into an Ishii & HASHI double team parade for a near fall. Yano saves Colt from the butterfly lock, but Yano runs CHAOS together, hits a low blow and the backslide/superman combo picks up the win. Colt Cabana and Toru Yano defeated Tomohiro Ishii and YOSHI-HASHI @ 10:20 via pin [***] The comedy duo puts an end to the undefeated run of the CHAOS boys in a fun match. It was good overall, felt like there was actually some life to it, and the crowd loves Colt & Yano.

Zack Sabre Jr. & Taichi vs. Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa: We started off with mass, brawling, which of course spilled to the floor. GOD looked to have some extra motivation after dropping their first match, and isolated Sabre early on until Sabre started working his submission game. He champions then took the heat on Taichi as Jado helped out and we got some walk and brawl, which really slowed down the flow of things. GOD continued to work double teams on Taichi until Sabre rushed in and the Dangerous Tekkers made the comeback. Jado hit a kendo shot, but Taichi fought back as we got a ref bump. Taichi took out Jado, but when he ripped of the trousers got cradled for the win. Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa defeated Zack Sabre Jr. and Taichi @ 12:00 via pin [**½] The champions get on the board against the really fun Suzuki-gun team that had been impressing. This was ok, with GOD putting in minimal effort while the Dangerous Tekkers did their best to make this fun.

Jeff Cobb & Mikey Nicholls vs. EVIL & SANADA: Cobb and SANADA worked the opening stretch, but SANADA was quickly cut off as Cobb & Nicholls worked double teams. They isolated SANADA, utilizing quick tags and more double teams until SANADA cut off Nicholls and EVIL joined into work over Cobb. They hossed around as EVIL took control, picking up near falls. Cobb finally cut him off with an overhead toss but EVIL fought off both opponents, SANADA joined in and got the paradise lock on Nicholls, leading to a near fall. LIJ took control until Nicholls fought off magic killer and Cobb hit the dead lift superplex and standing moonsault. It broke down as Cobb & Nicholls ran wild and picked up a good near fall. EVIL then made the save, countered tour of the islands and the magic killer followed as we got some near falls and another magic killer finished it. EVIL and SANADA defeated Jeff Cobb and Mikey Nicholls @ 13:15 via pin [***½] This was a very good main event, easily the best thing on the show with the expected LIJ win. Nicholls is obviously much better in tags than as a single, and finally feels as if he’s fitting into things. It had a good energy and sense of urgency, especially down the stretch.

2019 WTL Standings
* Toru Yano and Colt Cabana: (3-1), 6pts.
* Big Tom Ishii and YOSHI-HASHI: (3-1), 6pts.
* David Finlay and Juice Robinson: (3-1), 6pts.
* Zack Sabre Jr. and Taichi: (2-2), 4pts.
* Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma: (2-2), 4pts.
* Jeff Cobb and Mikey Nicholls: (2-2), 4pts
* KENTA and Yujiro Takahashi: (2-1), 4pts.
* Hirooki Goto and Karl Fredericks: (2-2), 4pts.
* Hiroshi Tanahashi and Toa Henare: (2-2), 4pts.
* Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima: (2-2), 4pts.
* EVIL and SANADA: (2-0), 4pts.
* Minoru Suzuki and Lance Archer: (1-2), 2pts.
* Shingo Takagi and El Terrible: (1-3), 2pts.
* Chase Owens and Bad Luck Fale: (1-3), 2pts.
* Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa: (1-1), 2pts.
* Manabu Nakanishi and Yuji Nagata: (0-4), 0pts.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 68. On the show, 411’s Larry Csonka & Jeremy Lambert break down week 8 of AEW vs. NXT, and then preview WWE Survivor Series & NXT WarGames 2019. The show is approximately 104-minutes long.

* Intro
* AEW Dynamite Review 11.20.19: 3:00
* NXT Review 11.20.19: 33:00
* The head to head comparison: 52:55
* NXT WarGames 2019 Preview: 1:00:55
* WWE Survivor Series 2019 Preview: 1:15:45

* iTunes
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– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

Night four of the 2019 NJPW World Tag League was a very flat, very average, very VOD show, with a lack of energy in the crowd and in the ring with minimal effort added in. Thee was nothing bad, but absolutely nothing must-see either.